The present invention relates to an apparatus for optically reading code images printed on a recording media when manually operated and for outputting so-colled xe2x80x9cmultimedia informationxe2x80x9d represented by the code images, said multimedia information comprises audio data, video data and text data.
A code image reading apparatus is disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,895. When manually operated, this apparatus optically scans a dot code (i.e., a code images) printed on a recording medium such as a paper sheet and outputs multimedia information which is represented by the code images and which include audio data, video data and text data.
FIG. 1 illustrates the physical format of the dot code 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,895.
As shown in FIG. 1, the dot code 1 is composed of a plurality of data blocks 2 which are arranged in rows and columns. Each data block 2 consists of a data-dot pattern section 3, a plurality of markers 4, a matching-dot pattern 5, and a block-address pattern 6. The data-dot pattern section 3 is a region in which white data dots 7 and black data dots 7 are printed in a predetermined arrangement. These data dots 7 constitute coded data for the block, representing audio data, video data and text data. Each white data dot 7 corresponds to a binary xe2x80x9c0,xe2x80x9d and each black data dot 7 corresponds to a binary xe2x80x9c1.xe2x80x9d The block 2 has markers 4 at the four corners of the data-dot pattern section 3. The markers 4, each made of a prescribed number of black dots, are used to define reference points in preparation for reading the data dots 7 printed in the data-dot pattern section 3. The matching-dot pattern 5 extends between two adjacent markers 4 and has matching dots printed in a particular pattern. The block-address pattern 6 extends between two adjacent markers 4, one of which is one of the two adjacent markers 4 between which the matching-dot pattern 5 extends. The block-address pattern 6 has block-address dots and error-detecting or -correcting dots.
A code image reader is used to scan the dot code 1 having the physical format shown in FIG. 1. The code image reader may have a view field 8 that is smaller than the dot code 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and may not scan the entire dot code 1 at one shot. Even in this case, any data block 2 read can be identified in accordance with the block-address dot pattern 6, which has been read, too. Hence, as many data blocks 2 as desired can be printed on a recording medium (e.g., a paper sheet), forming as large a dot code 1 as desired, and can be read to reproduce coded data they represent. On the recording medium, far more data can be printed than in the form of a conventional one- or two-dimensional bar code. This may facilitate data communication using paper sheets or the like as recording media. Further, the dot code 1 may find new various uses.
The code image reader is, however, disadvantageous in the following respect.
The code image reader is manually moved over a dot code when reading the dot code, and the reader outputs the multimedia information represented by the dot code it has read. However, if the dot code the user has just read by operating the code image reader represents an audio message with a silent period, upon detecting the silent period, the user may misunderstand that the entire message has been reproduced and may therefore move the reader over the next dot code. If this happens, the remaining part of the message cannot be reproduced at all.
This inconvenience may arise particularly if no notes are printed on the medium to specify the contents of the audio message, if such a note is printed but the user is visually handicapped, or if the silent period is a comparatively long one.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing. The object of the invention is to provide a code image reading apparatus which optically reads an code image when manually operated, outputs multimedia information, such as audio data, represented by the code image, and informs a user that multimedia information has been completely output to facilitate the reading of a plurality of code images.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a code image reading apparatus comprising:
an imaging section for optically reading code images printed on a recording medium and converting the code images to image signals when the code image reading apparatus is manually operated, each of the code images being a coded data item containing a first data item which includes at least one of audio data, video data and text data;
a data-restoring section for processing each of the image signals output from the imaging section, thereby restoring the coded data item containing the first data item;
a first data output section for processing the coded data restored by the data-restoring section, thereby outputting the first data item; and
a second data output section for processing prescribed ones of the code images, thereby outputting a second data item which is different from the first data item and which is common to the prescribed coded images,
wherein the first and second output sections operate in association to output the first data item and the second data item, respectively.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.